Arthur g



A' (Nani-miel.)v f l JLG. LEONARD.

- om PLATFORM.

ARTHUR e.. LEONARD, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

.CAR-PLATFORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 543,031, dated July 23,1895.

`Application filed September-27,1893.' Serial No. 4361594 (N0 mOdBL) To@ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G. LEoNARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have made certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Platforms, of whichth following is a'specification. Y My invention relates more especiallyto innprovements in the platforms of steam or other' fast railroadcars', although it is applicable to the platforms of other movingvehicles.

In constructing cars it is usual to place at the ends ofthe car theextreme cross or buer beams, and at a certain distance to the rear ofthese are placed the door-sills, so called from the car-door beinglocated over them. The longitudinal sills of the car extend between thedoor-sills, and in some cases the central-longitudinal sills extendbetween the buffer-beam and the door-sill. The sills lying betweenthedoor-sill and the buffer-beam form the supports for the platform, thedepthv of which is determined by the distance between the buffer-beamand door-sill.

The width of the platform has been heretofore defined by the distancebetween the stepsills, from the outer edge of which the platform-stepsdescend, the step-sills being located some distance from the end of thebuffer-beam or the extreme outer longitudinal sill. This constructionleaves the space between the buffer-beam and the door-sill, which isusually occupied by the steps, entirely without bracing to resist endimpact; and my invention is directed to more thoroughly resistingsuch-impact atA this point, as well as add-` ing additional resistingqualities to the whole car-frame.

My invention therefore resides in the structure and in lthe combinationof. parts hereinafter set forth, and fully pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of one end of thecar-framing, including a platform with my invention applied thereto;Fig. 2, a sectional elevation approximately on the line e' z, Fig. 1;and Fig. 3, a like view on the line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of 4reference refer to like parts throughout theseveral views.

At l is shown the transverse buer-beam of usual or preferred form and tothe rear thereof the door-sill 2. At 3 are the outerlongitudinal sills,and 4. the second longitudinals. The sills 3 4 do not extend. past thedoor-sill, but are abutted end on to the door-sill for the purpose ofbetter resisting the blow or shock of impact.

Theinner central longitudinale are shown at 5 and the outer at 6. Bothof these sets of sills extend not only between the door-sills at eachend of the car, but between the bulferbeams, and they are of such depththat the buffer-beam and door-sill can set therein so tain the front endof the draw-bar and may be further braced by the tie-rods 8, extendingbetween it and the door-sill, and the bufferbeam and door-sill may, inlike manner, be

braced by the tie-rods 9 extending between thoseY parts.

The foregoing describes a structure devised for the purpose ofincreasing, as a main feature, the strength of the car-frame in itsresistance to collapse, and although I consider a structure wherein suchideas are-incorporated as the best for co-operation with my invention Ido not limit myself thereto.

The sills lying between the buffer-beam and the door-sill formthe'support for the platformflooring, the width of which (where stepsare used) has been defined by a short sill,which the edge of theflooringoverhangs and from which the drop of step commences. This sill,which is called the step-sill, is set back from the car side far enoughto allow of the platformstep being located entirely within the carlings,which leaves a large unprotected or unbraced space between the ends o fthe bumper-beam and door-sill and the step-sill. By being thus unbracedthe liability to demolition of the frame is increased, not so much fromadirectly end-to-end blow, (which would be pri- IOO marily received bythe intermediate sills,) but by a blow being delivered at either side ofthe frame-center, in which case not only would the buffer-beam besubjected to fracture but one side of the entire framing would be moreor less injured. If the buffer-beam were strong enough to resist theblow without fracture, the impact at an angle would loosen the timbersat the side opposite the point of contact and either weaken the frame ordemolish it.

It is apparent from the foregoing that, as`

at present constructed, such platforms do not offer the greatest amountof resistance, and it is to increase this resistance that my inventionis directed.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the step-sill is shown at 10 and liessubstantially semidistant between the end of the door-sill and the carcenter. This sill abuts end on with both the buffer-beam and door-sill.

Wfithin the space A, between the bufferbeam, door-sill, and step-sill,and preferably seinidistant between the end of the bufferbeam and thestep-sill, I have located an additional or auxiliary sill or brace 11,which may eitherbe constructed of a wooden ormetallic beam or the like,or preferably constructed to form a compound brace.

The brace 1l, as illustrated herein, is composed of two plates of metal12 13 having their ends bent at an angle, as at 1t 15, so as not only toform a rigid brace but to readily enable its being securely fixed inposition, the ends abutting end on with the door-sill and buer-beam.

It will be noticed that the bent ends of the plate 12 are longer thanthose of the plate 13, and that the latter plate is shorter than theformer, in order that it can lie within thebent ends 14.

Both plates beinglocated a suitable distance apart, a column ofconsiderable resisting capacity is constructed, which capacity isaugmented by the disposition of the parts of the same, one in relationto the other. The bent ends being secured to the buffer beam anddoor-sill outside of the body of the brace andn extending inwardlytoward the .car center adds an additional medium to resisting collapsefrom a blow given to the buffer-.beam at an angle tothe car center. Thebent ends 14 supporting an added section of the platform should it bedesired to increase its width.

I am aware that it is not new with me to extend a beam between thebuffer-beam and the door-sill at a point adjacent the outer sill oftheend of the buffer-beam, as this is done in street-cars, where what iscalled outlooks7 are extended between the buffer-beam and the door-sillclose to the outer edge of the car; but in this case the out-looks arebolted to the under side of the sills or beams and do not affordadditional resisting power by reason of end-to-end abutment, as hereindescribed; and it is for the purpose of more clearly bringing out thisdifference that I have shown it in the drawings and dilated upon it inthe opening part of this description.

As my invention can be used in relations other than that disclosed I donot limit myself to the exact form, material, or location of partsbefore shown and set forth, for many changes and modifications can bemade therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. In a car body and platform, the combination Withvthe bufferbeam 1, the door sill 2, the intermediate longitudinal sills extend ingbetween said beam and sill, the step-sill IO located exteriorly of theintermediate sills, and an auxiliary sill composed of juxtaposed angleplates 12, 13, secured together and end on to said door sill and beam,and located between the ends of said door sill and beam, and the stepsill 10, substantially as described.

2. In a car platform, the combination with the bulfer beam and doorsill, of the brace 11 comprising the plates 12, 13 having bent ends 14,15, the plate 13 and its ends 15 lying within the bent ends 1t of theplate 12, said ends forming means for securing the plates to said beamand door sill, substantially as described.

3. In a car platform, the combination with the door sill and bufferbeam, of the brace 11 comprising the plates 12, 13 having-bent ends 14,15, the plate 13 lying within the ends of the plate 12, both platesbeing disposed at a distance from each other greater than the thicknessof the plate, substantially as described.

Signed at the city, county, and State of New York this 26th day ot'September, 1893.

ARTHUR G. LEONARD.

Witnesses:

W. B. AVERELL, HENRY B. WHIPPLE.

ICO

